Dutch government taken to court over NSA links

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An alliance of privacy advocates, lawyers and journalists is taking the Dutch government to court over its links to overseas intelligence agencies.

The alliance said Wednesday it is asking the Hague District Court to ban the government from using intelligence data gathered by foreign agencies using surveillance techniques that breach Dutch privacy laws.

The case has been spurred by revelations that Dutch intelligence agencies have exchanged information with overseas agencies, including the U.S. National Security Agency.

Dutch Interior Minister Ronald Plasterk acknowledged those links after confirming that the NSA had collected information about 1.8 million Dutch phone calls in one month last year.

Plasterk has said it is "not acceptable that our allies ... do not stick to Dutch laws."